"Wait, the event is today?"
In Southeast Asia, people use WhatsApp. Meet them where they are.
Spend enough time doing marketing in Malaysia, and you'll notice something:
Everyone is on WhatsApp.
Buy a cake online? Problem with your order? Your first instinct is to find a WhatsApp number. And then spam the number with complaints. It's just how things work here.
But here's the thing: most digital marketing advice comes from the West. And Western playbooks rarely mention WhatsApp.
As a big fan of using emails. I fell into this trap myself.
For our first few Underdog Con events, I stuck to email reminders only. It was clean and simple. Link MailerLite to the registration page, set up a welcome sequence, and add event reminders. Done.
The event day would arrive. And I'll start receiving messages like:
"Wait, the event is today?"
"I wasn't reminded!"
Somehow, there would be confused registrants who missed every email I sent.
It wasn't just events either. I see the same pattern with webinars and online workshops. You're lucky to get 30-40% show-up rates with email-only reminders.
We added WhatsApp and suddenly got 40-70% show-up rates. For our most recent physical event? A show-up rate of 96%.
Even if someone does miss the event, they'll reply to our WhatsApp message. We find them a solution. And keep the conversation going.
Isn't this the real point?
Brands aren't built through transactions. They're built through relationships. And relationships need communication, not just mass emails, but the kind with a personal touch.
Sometimes that means meeting people where they are. And in Malaysia (or at least Southeast Asia), that's WhatsApp. There's really no running away from it.
I made a video to share 8 WhatsApp tips, especially useful if you run events. Watch it below: